Palin's mid-term resignation comes with costs

RACHEL D'ORO, The Associated Press

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she is quitting Sunday to save the state the cost of investigating what she says are frivolous ethics complaints against her, but even her mid-term resignation comes with a price tag for taxpayers.

While the final transition bill will be a fraction of the roughly $2 million Palin says the state has shelled out in ethics probes, that hasn't stopped residents, letter writers, bloggers and legislators alike from questioning what they see as the unnecessary costs of the governor leaving office 17 months before the end of her term.

The major price tag will be a one-day special session of the legislature to confirm the new lieutenant governor and to consider overriding Palin's veto of stimulus funds for energy projects.

"She has single-handedly and unnecessarily created both expensive issues," Anchorage resident Jeanne Ashcraft complained in a letter published in the Anchorage Daily News.

It's too early to calculate transition costs, said Linda Perez, the administrative director for the Alaska governor's office.

Palin hasn't responded directly to the criticism, but her spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, said it was the Legislature that called themselves into special session, not Palin.

"Lt. Gen. Craig Campbell could remain an acting lieutenant governor until the next regular session in January. There is also a September deadline for the energy funds," she said in an e-mail to The Associated press. "I hope the argument isn't being made that the governor is costing the state this is a legislative call."

Her supporters say the criticism is unwarranted.

"The Legislature had already discussed meeting in special session to consider overriding the stimulus package veto," said Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein. And if Palin were to remain in office, there likely would be more ethics complaints for the state to investigate.

"The public has to factor in the amount of money saved by avoiding dozens and dozens of public records act requests or ethics complaints that would not be filed after the governor steps down," he said.

Much of the debate over the cost of the transition centers around the man who will replace Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will take over as Alaska's governor on Sunday.

Each legislative session in Alaska, the governor picks someone as a backup to the lieutenant governor, and Palin nominated Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt this year.

But on July 3, she announced that Military and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Craig Campbell would replace Parnell and didn't to explain why she wasn't turning to Schmidt. The new candidate means the legislature has to meet for a one-day, special session that will cost more than $100,000.

"You don't nominate someone, put them through hearings, have the legislature confirm them and then just change your mind without offering any explanation," said state Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage. "By doing that, the governor has created the need for a special session. This is probably the most avoidable special session in state history."

Lawmakers already are bound to hold a special session because of the override attempt on Palin's veto, said state Rep. Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage. The U.S. Department of Energy has said lawmakers must act on the override before the end of September to apply for $28.5 million in State Energy Program money Palin vetoed because she said it came with too many government mandates. Lawmakers said they've found no such strings.

Hawker, co-chairman of Alaska's House Finance Committee, believes the financial impact from Palin's resignation will be minimal.

"It's just like making an office move," he said. "You've got the routine administrative changes. It's not significant."

It's the "intangible consequences" of Palin's resignation that state Rep. Beth Kerttula wonders about in Philadelphia, where she is attending the National Conference of State Legislatures.

"I cannot tell you how many people have asked me about the whole situation here in Philadelphia," the Juneau Democrat said by phone Friday. "I mean, it is a bad joke to people. There's that cost to the state. That's obviously one you can't measure economically, but it's certainly a cost that will bear out in future years, and we'll see what it really results in."

Bloggers also complained.

"What else comes with a special session, besides cranky legislators, and extra business? A big fat price tag is what," wrote The Mudflats, an Alaska political blog.

Multiple housekeeping chores are required for the transition. There are official portraits to replace, not to mention new letterhead and business cards and office remodels. The state would foot the bill if Parnell relocates his family from Anchorage to the capital city of Juneau, not to mention moving Palin's possessions back.

"Individually, they might not be much, but they definitely add up. No question there's a cost in transition," said Marc Ryan, budget director for former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, who resigned midterm in 2004 amid graft allegations and a federal investigation. The costs there were never tallied.